Overhead door construction



Sept. 10, 1940- s. L. BARLOUGH OVERHEAD DOOR CONSTRUCTION Filed July I. 1939 Patented Sept. 10, 1940 v UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to door constructions and particularly relates to overhead door constructions of the types used in garages.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved overhead door construction of the type mentioned, which is simple in construction, readily installed, and economical to manufacture; Another object of the invention is to provide an improved overhead door construction which is rugged and which willv stand up under the hard use to which it is put.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved overhead door construction having flexible panels secured together in an improved and simplified manner.

Other objects of'the invention will become apparent from the following specification, the drawing relating thereto, and from the claims hereinafter set forth.

In the drawing, in which like numerals are used to designate like parts in the, several views I throughout:

Figure 1 is a rear, or inside, elevational view of a door construction embodying features of the present invention, the door being illustrated in its closed position within a garage doorway;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 1;

a Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section of the doorway illustrated in Fig. 1, taken substantially along the line 4-4 thereof; and,

' Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, transverse section of the doorway'illustrated in Fig. 1, taken substantially in the direction of arrow 5 of Fig. 1. Referring to the drawing, thev garage doorway is defined by side frame member ll], top frame member 12, side frame member I 4 and floor [6. An upstanding stud I6 is disposed on the outside of each of the side frame members I0 and I4 in the usual way. The side frame members I0 and I4 each include members I8, 20, and 22, which are constructed to provide facing channels 24 which are adapted to receive therein the panels of the'doorway, generally indicated at 26.

The door 26 is formed of a plurality of transversely-extending panel members 28, having their mating edges rabbeted, as best shown in Fig. 3, so that the panels may flex relative to each other and yet an air and water tight joint is provided between adjacent panels.

According tothe present inventionthe panels are flexibly connected together by means of longitudinally extending, flexible, corrugated steel strips 30, the corrugations extending longitudinally of the strips and the strips being disposed on the inside face of the door. The strips are sinuous in form longitudinally thereof and are connected to the panels so that the panels are held in proper positions relative to each other but may be flexed as the doors open or close as will be pointed out in detail hereinafter. The term sinuous is not used in the, specification and claims in its strict mathematical sense, but is merely used to designate the generally wavy or corrugated form shown.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the corrugated strips 30 are formed with troughs 32 and. crests 34. The strips 30 are transversely disposed relative to the doorway, there preferably being one of such strips at each side of the doorway and one at the center. The strips are connected to the panels 28 by nut and bolt means 36, for example, and the curvatures of the strips 30 are preferably such that alternate troughs 32 are connected to the panels 28 at substantially the midpoint between the edges of the panels. The intermediate troughs 32 then engage the panels substantially at the mating edges thereof, so that such intermediate 1 troughs resiliently bear against the back face of the rabbeted edges of one of the panels and thus urge such edge into engagement with the mating edge of its adjacent panel. With this construction, it will be seen that the panels are securely mounted in position relative to each other, yet such panels may be flexed relative to each other.

The opposite side edges of the panels 28 and the edges of the side strips 30 are adapted to be slidably received and guided within the facing channels 24 of the side frame members In and I4. In order to contribute toward ease of operation andreduce wear, metal to wood contact is provided between the door panels and the members forming channels 24. The strips 30 adjacent the sides of the door engage those portions of members 22 which form channels 24. Elongated metal strips 43, having longitudinally extending ribs formed therein, are suitably secured to the portions of members l8 which form portions of channels 24. The ribs 45 project into the channels so that the outer surfaces of panels 28, adjacent the sides thereof, slidably engage the ribs as the door is opened and closed.

The door is adapted to be moved upwardly within the doorway and then rearwardly and be supported above the garage floor in such a position that it is disposed above the upper edge of the doorway frame in an out of the way position. A trackway is provided for supporting and guiding the doorway 26 in such movements and such trackway includes the channels 24, above described, together with trackways which extend rearwardly from the doorway within the interior of the garage. Such guideways include facing channel members 33, which may be suspended from the roof of the garage by means of hangers 40 andiwhich may be braced by a tied rod 4|. The trackways 38 are preferably formed of sheet metal and the channels are of substantially the same width as channels 24. The channel members 28 are connected to the channels2d by means of quadrants 42 at each side of, the doorway,

which are also shaped to provide facing channels and which join members 43, each of such channels forming continuations of channels 24 and the channels formed by trackways 38 at each side of the door.

Suitable means are provided at each side of the doorway for assisting in the raising and lowering operations so that the Weight of the door is in effect counterbalanced, and'such means include a cable member 44 located at each side of the doorway. Each cable member 44 is adapted to have one end thereof fixedly connected to the inner face of member 22, as indicated at 46. The cable member 34- then extends downwardly and is trained about a pulley 48 which is connected to the upper end of a spiral spring 50. The lower end of spiral spring 50 is also connected to member 22'adjacent the floor, as indicated at 52. The cable 44 extends upwardly andis trained about a ball bearing pulley 54 which is pivotally mounted to quadrant member 42 adjacent the lower end thereof and immediately above channel 24. Each member 2D is provided with aninwardly disposed groove 56 on the base of channel 24, which is adapted to receive therein the cable 44. The cable extends down within groove 56 and. has the lower end thereof fixedly connected to the lower panel of the doorway,. as indicated at 58.,

Suitable handle means 60 are provided on the inside and outside faces of the door 26, which may be grasped for raising or lowering the door within the doorway. It will thus be evident that the doorway may be raised from the closed position shown, and that as it is raised the panels 28 are flexed relative to each other, since the strip 30 may flex, and pass around the channel within quadrant .42 and into the channels formed "by trackways 38. The door is then in an out-ofthe-way position within the garage. Suitable locking means are provided and one of such suitable means is illustrated in the form of transversely extending locking rods 62 which are mounted on one of the panels of the doorway and are pivotally connected to a pivotally mounted locking link 64. It will thus be evident that by turning the link 64, the rods 62 are slid transversely of the doorway and such rods are adapted to extend Within cooperating grooves (not shown) provided in the side frame members of the doorway so that the door may be locked in its closed position.

It will thus be evident from the above description that a simplified overhead door construction is provided particularly in that the corrugated steel strips30 are economical to manufacture and may be readily and economically applied to assemble the door panels. It is further evident thatthe construction provided is ex tremely rugged and will stand up under the hard use to which such doors are put.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described Without departing from the spirit and substance of the invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a flexible, panel door construction adapted for the closing of a doorway, a plurality of transversely extending panels; means flexibly connecting said panels together; said last named means including transversely spaced, elongated,

flexible, sinuous, strip members extending longitudinally of said panels and connected to each of said panelsto flexibly connect said panels together; and means forming trackways adjacent the sides of said panels, said trackways extending upwardly and then rearwardly of said doorway forming guideways for said panels upon the opening or closing of said door. l

2. In a flexible, panel door construction adapted for the closing of a doorway, a plurality of transversely extending panels; means flexibly connecting said panels together; said last named means including transversely spaced, elongated, flexible, sinuous, strip members extending Iongitudinally of said panels and connected to each of said panels substantially midway between the mating edges thereof to flexibly connect said panels together; and means forming trackways adjacent the sides of said panels, said trackways extending upwardly and then rearwardly of said doorway forming guideways for said panels upon the opening or closing of said door.

3. In a flexible, panel door construction adapted for the closing of a doorway, a plurality of transversely extending panels; means flexibly connecting said panels together; said last named means including transversely spaced, elongated, flexible, sinuous strip members extending longitudinally of said panels; said strip members having alternate troughs secured to said panels to flexibly connect said panels together; and means forming trackways adjacent the sides of said panels, said trackways extending upwardly and then rearwardly of said doorway forming guide-'- ways for said panels upon the opening or closing of said door. p

4. In a flexible, panel door construction adapted for the closing of a doorway, a plurality of transversely extending panels; means flexibly connecting said panels together; said last named means including transversely spaced, elongated, flexible, sinuous members extending longitudinally of said panels; said strip members having alternate troughs secured to said panels substantially midway between the mating edges thereof and having the intermediate troughs engaging said panels at substantially the mating'edges of said panels; and means forming trackways adjacent the sides of said panels, said trackways extending upwardly and then rearwardly of said doorway forming guideways for said panels upon the opening and closing of said door.

5. In a flexible, panel door construction adapted for the closing of a doorway, a plurality of transversely extending panels having their mating edges rabbeted; means flexibly connecting said panels together so that said edges overlap; said last named means including transversely spaced, elongated, flexible, sinuous strip members extending longitudinally of said panels; said strip members having alternate troughs secured to said.

panels substantially midway the mating edges thereof and the intermediate troughs engaging said panels at substantially the mating edges thereof; and means forming trackways adjacent the sides of said panels, said trackways extending upwardly and then rearwardly of said thereof rabbeted; means flexibly connecting said panels together so that said edges overlap; said last named means including transversely spaced,

elongated, flexible, sinuous members extending longitudinally of said panels on the rear face thereof; said strip members having the alternate troughs thereof secured to said panels substantially midway between the mating edges thereof and the intermediate troughs engaging said panels at substantially the mating edges thereof; and means forming trackways adjacent the sides of said panels, said trackways extending upwardly and then rearwardly of said doorway forming guideways for said panels upon the opening or closing of said door.

STEPI-IAN L. BARLOUGH. 

